Class Psychology of Sport and Physical Activities

The Curricular Unit “Psychology of Sport and Physical Activities” aims to provide students with specific knowledge applied to the areas of Sport, Physical Education and Exercise & Wellness. The unit broadly addresses the various domains of psychology applied to sport and physical activity, namely: the history of sport psychology, framing students in the scientific character and innovation of psychology applied to sport, physical education and exercise and wellbeing; the individual psychological, cognitive, emotional, social and contextual factors involved in the practice of physical activities; the psychological benefits and harms of physical activity, and finally the psychological intervention strategies applied to the different contexts of the future work of our FEFD students.

1.Introduction to PSPA

2. Individual psychological factors involved in the practice of PSPA

• Personality

• Motivation (motivational orientations, types of motivation and their determinants)

• Cognitive factors (perception, attention / concentration, memory)

• Emotional factors (mood and emotions, anxiety, stress and activation, flow)

3. Social or contextual factors involved in the practice of DAF

• Communication and interpersonal relationships in specific contexts

• Group dynamics and cohesion

•leadership

4. Psychological Consequences of Practice and Other Variables Involved

• Well-being and quality of life; Cognition & academic performance; Self-esteem

• Burn-out and dependence

5. Intervention strategies applied to DAF

• behavioral modification models

• Motivational Intervention: communication, climate and role of coach

• Psychological Skills & Self-regulatory strategies

Continuous assessment

Group work (20%): Presentation of a scientific paper and formal discussion in class context.

individual work-oral (10%): critical analysis of 3 articles (out of 5) via relevant reflections posed to classmates

Individual written assessment (70%): test (40%) plus written intervention report/case study (30%)

The final weighted average (of all evaluation elements) must be > or = a 9.5 values. The grades of each of the elements > or = to 7.5 values. *If not, the student can perform a recovery test, for a maximum grade of 7.5 values, with a weighted average > = 9.5 values.

Resource exam evaluation: st.

Classification written test > or = 9.5 values, confirmed by an oral test. 

Anshel, M. H., Petrie, T. A., & Steinfeldt, J. A. (Eds.). (2019). APA handbook of sport and exercise psychology, Vol. 1 &2. Sport psychology. American Psychological Association. 

Bidle, S. J. H., Mutrie, N. & Gorely, T. (2015). Psychology of physical activity: determinants, well-being and interventions (3^rd Ed). Routledge: New York

Gill, D. L., Williams, L. & Reifsteck, E. J. (2017). Psychological dynamics of sport and exercise (4th Ed). Champaign: Human Kinetics

Serpa, S. (2017). Mente, desporto e performance: o fator psi. Lisboa: Ed. Visão e Contextos

Schinke, R.J.,  McGannon, K.R. & Smith, B. (Eds.) (2016). Routledge International Handbook of Sport Psychology. London: Routledge

Weinberg, R. & Gould, D. (2015). Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology (6^thed). Champaign:Human Kinetics.